Australia and New Zealand Submit SKA Proposal

An artist’s impression of dishes that will make up the SKA radio telescope (main image; courtesy of the SKA Program Development Office/Swinburne Astronomy Productions) and a selection of images of Australian radio astronomy facilities.

16 September 2011

Australia and New Zealand have submitted their written proposal to host the SKA. The submission of the Australian and New Zealand proposal is an important step in the international decision making process to determine the best place to site the SKA.

Australian Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr and New Zealand Economic Development Minister David Carter said hosting the SKA would put Australia and New Zealand at the forefront of international science. Senator Carr said the two countries are proud to submit a comprehensive and compelling response to the request for information by the international SKA project.

"We have a remote site based in Western Australia with exceptional radio quiet characteristics and superb astronomy infrastructure," Senator Carr said.

Australia and New Zealand’s submission is the result of a major collaborative effort between 47 agencies, including CSIRO, across the two countries.

The final decision on the host site for the SKA is expected in early 2012, with the SKA expected to be operating in 2020.

For more information, please read the full media release.

Back to Latest ASKAP News page.

Access: 
Public